Will Downing
Will Downing (born November 29, 1965 in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn , New York , as Wilfred Downing ) is an American soul and house singer, but also a songwriter .
biography
In the late 1970s to the mid 1980s, Will Downing was a background singer , a. a. with Billy Ocean , Nona Hendryx , Rose Royce , Daryl Payne , Marc Sadane , Warp 9 and Jennifer Holliday . In the mid-1980s Arthur Baker discovered him as a soul singer and hired him for his band “Wally Jump Jnr. and the Criminal Element ".
In 1988 Downing received a solo contract with Island Records and recorded his debut album Will Downing , which was produced by Arthur Baker. The breakthrough came with the single A Love Supreme , a sung version of the jazz classic by John Coltrane . In 1989 a cover version of Where Is the Love? , in a duet with the British soul singer Mica Paris , which he produced himself. The second album Come Together as One was released in the same year.
On the third album A Dream Fulfilled in 1991 jazz influences could be heard and there was a cover version of The World Is a Ghetto , a top hit by the funk band War from 1972. With further album releases ( Pleasures of the Night , All the Man You Need , Sensual Journey , Emotions , Christmas, Love and You and Soul Symphony ) Will Downing had success in the UK and on the US R&B charts until 2005.
In 2006, Downing was diagnosed with polymyositis , a condition that weakens muscles and joints. So he had to sing his 2007 album After Tonight in a wheelchair. In 2009 the album Classique was released. A year later, in September 2010, followed Lust, Love & Lies (An Audio Novel) , the fifteenth studio album. Three more studio productions appeared by 2015: Silver (2013), Euphoria (2014) and Chocolate Drops (2015).
Downing is married to the American singer Audrey Wheeler .
Discography
Studio albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 DE
|
 UK
|
 US
|
R&B
|
jazz
|
|||
| 1988 | Will Downing |
DE47 (6 weeks) DE |
UK20th  (23 weeks)UK |
- | - | - | |
| 1989 | Come together as one | - |
UK36 (2 weeks) UK |
- |
R&B62 (18 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: November 6, 1989
Producers: Will Downing, Greg Smith, Laythan Armor, Brian Jackson, Jimmy Varner, Attala Zane Giles, Onaje Allan Gumbs |
| 1991 | A Dream Fulfilled | - |
UK43 (3 weeks) UK |
- |
R&B22 (36 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: March 25, 1991
Producers: Will Downing, Barry Eastmond, Wayne Brathwaite, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Zane Mark |
| 1993 | Love's the place to be | - | - |
US166 (7 weeks) US |
R&B24 (58 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: August 3, 1993
Producers: Will Downing, Rex Rideout, Bob Baldwin, Barry Eastmond, Ronnie Foster |
| 1995 | Moods | - | - |
US139 (2 weeks) US |
R&B23 (30 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: November 21, 1995
Producers: Will Downing, Rex Rideout, Ronnie Foster, Onaje Allan Gumbs |
| 1997 | Invitation Only | - | - |
US127 (3 weeks) US |
R&B30 (21 weeks) R&B |
- |
First released October 28, 1997
Producers: Will Downing, Rex Rideout, Ronnie Foster, Darryl Simmons |
| 1998 | Pleasures of the Night | - | - |
US169 (3 weeks) US |
R&B36 (27 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: September 29, 1998
with Gerald Albright Producers: Gerald Albright, Will Downing, Ronnie Foster |
| 2000 | All the man you need | - | - |
US100 (7 weeks) US |
R&B25 (13 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: July 18, 2000
Producers: Will Downing, Kevin Deane, Stan Brown, Regis Branson, Kyle Bynoe, James Poyser, Dwayne Bastiany |
| 2002 | Sensual Journey | - | - |
US90 (7 weeks) US |
R&B11 (20 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published May 7, 2002
Producers: Will Downing, Rex Rideout, Lee Ritenour , John Beasley , Ronnie Foster, Kowan Paul |
| 2003 | Emotions | - | - |
US92 (6 weeks) US |
R&B9 (30 weeks) R&B |
jazz2 (50 weeks) jazz |
First released: October 14, 2003
Producers: Will Downing, Chris Davis, Rex Rideout, Barry Eastmond, Ronnie Foster |
| 2004 | Christmas, Love and You | - | - | - |
R&B40 (7 weeks) R&B |
jazz3 (8 weeks) jazz |
First released November 9, 2004
Producers: Will Downing, Chris Davis, Rex Rideout, Ronnie Garrett |
| 2005 | Soul Symphony | - | - |
US85 (3 weeks) US |
R&B18 (14 weeks) R&B |
- |
First released October 4, 2005
Producers: Will Downing, Rex Rideout, Chris Davis |
| 2007 | After tonight | - | - |
US37 (3 weeks) US |
R&B1 (28 weeks) R&B |
- |
Initial release: October 30, 2007
Producers: Noel Goring, Will Downing, Rex Rideout |
| 2009 | Classique | - | - |
US22 (8 weeks) US |
R&B3 (23 weeks) R&B |
- |
First released: June 16, 2009
Producers: Will Downing, Rex Rideout, Sherrita Tolbert, Tony Tolbert |
| 2010 | Lust, Love & Lies (An Audio Novel) | - | - |
US42 (4 weeks) US |
R&B11 (13 weeks) R&B |
- |
First released: September 20, 2010
Producers: Will Downing, Chris Davis, Rex Rideout |
| 2012 | Today (EP) | - | - | - |
R&B74 (1 week) R&B |
- |
First released: February 21, 2012
Producers: Will Downing, Chris Davis |
| 2013 | Silver | - | - | - |
R&B62 (3 weeks) R&B |
- |
Initial release: February 12, 2013
Producers: Will Downing, Chris Davis, Rex Rideout |
| 2014 | Euphoria | - | - | - |
R&B40 (1 week) R&B |
jazz2 (25 weeks) jazz |
Initial release: March 4th, 2014
Producers: Will Downing, Chris Davis |
| 2015 | Chocolate drops | - | - | - | - |
jazz2 (16 weeks) jazz |
First published: March 31, 2015
Producers: Will Downing, Chris Davis, Shedrick Mitchell |
Compilations
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
UK
|
US
|
R&B
|
jazz
|
|||
| 2002 | Greatest Love Songs | - | - | - |
R&B78 (2 weeks) R&B |
- |
First released: January 15, 2002
Producers: Will Downing, Brian Jackson, Stan Brown, Barry Eastmond, Wayne Brathwaite, Ronnie Foster, Rex Rideout, Darryl Simmons, Regis Branson |
| 2006 | The Best of Will Downing: The Millennium Collection | - | - | - |
R&B32 (9 weeks) R&B |
jazz1 (48 weeks) jazz |
First published: June 6, 2006
|
More compilations
- 1999: You Sure Love to Ball (with Brian McKnight, Chico DeBarge, Montell Jordan , Gerald Levert and Joe )
- 2002: A Love Supreme: The Collection
EPs
- 1990: The Remix EP
- 2011: Yesterday
- 2012: Today
- 2012: Tomorrow
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
UK
|
US
|
R&B
|
Dance
|
|||
| 1988 | Free Will Downing |
- |
UK58 (5 weeks) UK |
- |
R&B48 (10 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: February 1988
Authors: Henry Redd, Deniece Williams , Susaye Greene, Nathan Watts Original: Deniece Williams, 1976 |
| A Love Supreme Will Downing |
DE24 (15 weeks) DE |
UK14 (10 weeks) UK |
- |
R&B77 (6 weeks) R&B |
Dance4 (10 weeks) Dance |
First published: March 1988
Author and original: John Coltrane , 1964 |
|
| Sending Out to SOS Will Downing |
- | - | - |
R&B45 (10 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: May 1988
Authors: Brian Jackson, Craig Derry, Danny Madden, Will Downing |
|
| In My Dreams Will Downing |
- |
UK34 (6 weeks) UK |
- | - | - |
First published: June 1988
Authors: Brian Jackson, Peter Lord, Will Downing |
|
| 1989 | Where is the love? So good |
- |
UK19 (8 weeks) UK |
- | - | - |
First published: January 1989
with Mica Paris Authors: Ralph MacDonald , William Salter Original: Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway , 1972 |
| Test of Time Come Together as One |
- |
UK67 (2 weeks) UK |
- |
R&B35 (12 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: October 1989
Authors: Kenny Harris, Mark Holden |
|
| 1990 | Come Together as One Come Together as One |
- |
UK48 (4 weeks) UK |
- |
R&B50 (8 weeks) R&B |
Dance40 (3 weeks) Dance |
First published: January 1990
Authors: Greg Smith, Will Downing |
| 1991 | The World Is a Ghetto A Dream Fulfilled |
- |
UK83 (2 weeks) UK |
- | - | - | |
| I Try A Dream Fulfilled |
- | - | - |
R&B13 (17 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: March 1991
Author and original: Angela Bofill , 1979 |
|
| I Go Crazy A Dream Fulfilled |
- | - | - |
R&B37 (11 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: July 1991
Author and original: Paul Davis , 1970 |
|
| 1993 | There's No Living Without You Love’s the Place to Be |
- |
UK67 (1 week) UK |
- |
R&B57 (12 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: July 1993
Authors: Connor Reeves, Greg Smith |
| Do You Still Love Me Love’s the Place to Be |
- | - | - |
R&B69 (9 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: December 1993
Authors: Barry Eastmond, Will Downing Original: David Peaston, 1991 |
|
| 1994 | Break Up to Make Up Love’s the Place to Be |
- | - | - |
R&B66 (8 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: March 1994
Authors: Thom Bell , Linda Creed , Kenny Gamble Original: The Stylistics , 1972 |
| Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This Love’s the Place to Be |
- | - | - |
R&B72 (10 weeks) R&B |
- | ||
| 1995 | Sorry, I Moods |
- | - | - |
R&B45 (20 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: October 1995
Authors: Armsted Christian, Rex Rideout, Will Downing |
| 1996 | Just to Be with You Moods |
- |
UK98 (1 week) UK |
- | - | - |
First published: February 1996
Authors: Rex Rideout, Will Downing |
| 1997 | All About You Invitation Only |
- | - | - |
R&B63 (4 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: November 1997
Authors: Rex Rideout, Ronnie Garrett, Will Downing |
| 2003 | A Million Ways Emotions |
- | - | - |
R&B58 (20 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: October 2003
Authors: Joe Thomas, Jolyon Skinner |
| 2005 | Crazy Love Soul Symphony |
- | - | - |
R&B73 (14 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: October 2005
Authors: Dwight Thompson, Niles McKinney |
| 2007 | After Tonight After Tonight |
- | - | - |
R&B56 (18 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: November 2007
Authors: Rex Rideout, Will Downing |
| 2009 | Something Special Classique |
- | - | - |
R&B86 (11 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: June 2009
Authors: Gary Taylor, Rex Rideout, Will Downing |
| Love Suggestions Classique |
- | - | - |
R&B69 (10 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: August 2009
Authors: Rex Rideout, Tony Tolbert, Will Downing |
|
| 2010 | Glad I Met You Tonight Lust, Love & Lies (An Audio Novel) |
- | - | - |
R&B58 (20 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: August 2010
Authors: Chris Davis, Will Downing |
| 2012 | One Step Closer Silver |
- | - | - |
R&B84 (2 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: July 2012
Authors: Chris Davis, Tony Tolbert, Will Downing |
More singles
- 1986: (I Want to Go To) Chicago (RT & the Rockmen Unlimited Featuring Will & Craig)
- 1990: Wishing on a Star
- 1991: Don't Make Me Wait
- 1991: The World Is a Ghetto
- 1991: Something's Going On
- 1998: Pleasures of the Night
- 1999: I Can't Make You Love Me
- 2002: Cool Water (Promo)
swell
Web links
- Official website of Will Downing
- Will Downing at Allmusic (English)
- Will Downing at Discogs (English)
- Biography at Taurus Press
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Downing, Will |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American singer and songwriter |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 29, 1965 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Brooklyn , New York, USA |